Clothes-reel.



F. S. POWERS.

OLOTHES REEL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. ze, 1910.

I 1,020,446 Patented Mar. 19,1912.

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CLOTHES REEL.

APPLIUATION FILED snPT. ze, 1910.

1,020,446. Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

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UNITED OFFICE.

FRANCIS S. POWERS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES SCHMITTKE AND JOHN SCHMITTKE, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CLOTHES-REEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

construction and arrangement of parts all as hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out 1n the claims reference being had to the accompanying drawings 1n which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectionl through the device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the head of the reel; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the supporting pedestal, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the reel head with the curtain and ridge pole removed.

As shown in the drawings 1 is a suitable hollow pedestal provided with laterally extending feet 2 to support the same and is in the form of a rectangular box having a door 3 in one side which may be opened to give access to its interior. Supported in suitable bearing rings 4 secured to one wall of the box is a vertically movable post 5 preferably formed of iron pipev and provided upon its lower end with a T G to engage the wall of the pedestal and prevent the post from turning. The upper end of the post is provided with a flange member 7 to engage a similar member 8 upon the lower end of a short section 9 forming a continuation of the post. Secured within the short section 9 is a small rod or pipe 10 which projects downward within the post 5 to couple the short section to the post and at the same time permit the free turning of the former upon the latter. Secured to the upper end of the short section is a T 11 to receive a cross supporting member or pipe 12. This member 12 forms the central longitudinal supporting member of the head of the clothes reel and has a vertical T 13 secured to each of its ends to receive vertical pipes 14 which extend upward and downward at right angles to the pipe 12. The lower ends of the members 14 are each provided with a T 15 to receive the cross end members or pipes 16 of the head, to the ends of which cross members are secured by suitable elbows 17 the longitudinal side members 1S of the head, said end and side members together forming a rectangular frame. At each corner of this frame is a short vertical pipe or post 19 held in upright position by the elbows 17 and connecting the upper ends of these posts are small rods or wires 20. The rods 20 which extend across the ends of the frame forming the reel head are connected by a series of parallel supporting wires 21 to which wires are attached a series of chains 22 for attaching clothespins 23 to these wires and supporting them in position for use. The chains are so attached to the wires 21 that they may be shifted longitudinally upon the wires to any desired position. Each transverse end pipe or member 1G of the frame is provided with a series of holes to receive a clothes-line 24 which may be looped back and forth across the fra1ne,passing through said holes to form a series of lines for supporting the clothes to be fastened thereon by the several rows of clothes-pins 23.

The upper end of each vertical member or post 14 is provided with a T to receive a small pipe 25 forming a ridge pole for a canvas roof or cover for the head, said roof comprising two curtains 2G attached at one end to the ridge pole and adapted to be rolled up or unrolled and supported at their lower or outer edges by the short corner posts 19 and connecting rods 20. In Fig. 1 of the drawing, the curtains are shown rolled up and in Fig. 2 they are shown in extended position. Suitable lines 27 may be provided for rolling up the curtains, said lines being arranged in the usual manner for this purpose.

To facilitate the hanging of clothes upon the clothes lines of the head, the head may be lowered by permitting the supporting post 5 to slide downward within the pedestal and when the clothes are in place the head may be again raised. To assist in raising and lowering the head a weight 28 is provided in the pedestal to counter-balance the weight of the reel head, said weight being attached to one end of a rope 29 which passes upward over a pulley 30 in the top of the pedestal or casing and thence downward where it is secured to the lower end of the post 5. The raising of the head is facilitated by a handle 31 which is pivotally attached to a lug or projection 32 on the outer side of the wall of the pedestal, and attached to this handle intermediate its ends is a rope 33 which passes upward over a pulley 34 in an opening in the side of the casing and thence downward and is securedto the lower end of the post 5. The weight 28 is raised to assist in the lowering of the head by a handle 35 pivotally attached to a projection 36 on the side of the casing opposite that to which the handle 31 is secured. A rope 37 is attached to the handle 35 intermediate its ends and passes upward over a pulley 38 in an opening in the wall of the casing and thence downward and is secured to the weight 28. The handles 3l and 35 are pivotally attached to the casing in such a manner that when either is turned downward against the side of the casing and its rope pulled taut, the strain of the rope will hold the handle firmly against the side of the casing, said handle having been turned past the center. The real head is thus locked in its raised or lowered position by the handles.

Pivotally attached to one side of the pedestal is a frame 39 forming a shelf or support for a clothes-basket or other article and a leg 40 is pivotally attached to the outer edge of this frame to support the same in its extended position so that it may be folded downward out of the way against the side of the pedestal.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is l. A device of the character described comprising a hollow pedestal, a post in the pedestal movable vertically in guides therein, a reel head on the upper end of the post, a weight in the pedestal, a pulley in the pedestal near the upper end thereof, a cable attached at one end to the weight and passed over the pulley and attached to t-he lower end of the post project-ions on opposite sides of the pedestal extending laterally therefrom, hand levers pivotally attached at one end to the outer ends of said projections to turn thereon in a vertical plane, ropes secured to the hand levers intermediate their ends, and pulleys on the pedestal near its upper end over which the ropes extend into the pedestal and attached, one to the lower end of the post and the other to said weight to raise and lower the post, said ropes exerting a pull upon said hand levers when the same are turned downwardly to hold said levers against the sides of said pedestal.

2. A clothes reel comprising a hollow pedestal, a post slidable within the pedestal, means within the pedestal for raising the post, a reel head, mounted upon the upper end of the post and comprising a rectangular frame having an upright post at each corner, a clothes line extending across the frame in parallel runs, and supporting wires carried by the upwardly extending posts parallel with and at a distance above the several runs of the clothesline, and means carried by and slidable upon the supporting wires for securing clothes to the clothesline.

3. A device of the character described comprising a hollow supporting pedestal, guides within the pedestal, a hollow post movable vertically within said guides and provided with a flanged upper end, a short post section having a flanged lower end to engage tlie flanged upper end of the post, a rectangular frame secured to the upper end of the short post, a member carried by the short post and extending downward within the hollow post to pivotally connect said posts, a rope attached to the lower end of said hollow post within the pedestal, a pulley within the upper end of the pedestal over which the rope extends, a counter-balance weight attached to the rope, other ropes attached to the post and weight and extending outward through the sides of the pedestal, and levers pivotally attached to the outer sides of the pedestal and to which said ropes are secured.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS S. POIVERS.

Witnesses LEwrs E. FLANDERS, OTTO H. BARTHEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

